Steven Spielberg Pinky Promises to Not Kill Off Indiana Jones

Harrison Ford’s return to Star Wars actually becoming his prompt exit from Star Wars might have fans of Indiana Jones worried that the same fate will befall another beloved Ford hero when the actor returns for Indiana Jones 5. Not so, according to director Steven Spielberg. Or at least not so... for now.

The comment from Spielberg comes buried in an extensive profile of the director conducted by The Hollywood Reporter. Spielberg doesn’t say much about the upcoming film, which we know is due for release in June 2019, other than that it’s “straight down the pike for the fans”, but offers one simple plot detail:

The one thing I will tell you is I’m not killing off Harrison [Ford] at the end of it.

It’s unsurprising that the director needs to say that, especially still so soon after Ford’s Star Wars exit, but then again, he would say that now, wouldn’t he? Given that it’s perhaps more likely Indy will pass on his legacy to someone younger by the end of it instead (after all, Ford will be 77 by the time the film is coming out), maybe it’s a bit obvious that death isn’t on Doctor Jones’ cards. Not today, at least.